fin 







UNION FOR THE SAKE OF THE UNION. 



CONSTITUTION 



AS PROMULGATED BY ORDER OF THE 



BOAUD OF CONTROL 



FIRST REVISED EDITION. 



CHICAGO. 

0. J. WARD, PUBLISHER, 136 LAKE STREET. 
1864. 



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oonsrsTiTTJTioisr- 



ARTICLE I. 

The Objects op the S. B 

Section 1. — TJie Five Landmarks. 

The objects of the S. B. Association are compre- 
hended in the following extracts from the Covenants 
of the Comrades. 

1. To preserve, through all coming time, the 
unity of the United States from disintegration and 
decay. 

2. To secure to posterity our birthright of free- 
dom of conscience, speech and action. 

3. To afford to people of other lands an asylum, 
a refuge from tyranny, oppression and political 
wrong. 

4. To perpetuate the memory of the founders of 
this great Republic and of their worthy and immor- 
tal successors. 

5. To teach, by covenants, emblems and solemn 
ceremonies, the harmony, strength and beauty of 
National unity. 



4 CONSTITUTION OP 6. B. 

This summary of tjie aims of the S. B. Association 
shall forever stand as a basis of its legislation.* 

Section 2. — The Structure is Military in Form. 

The polity, rituals, ceremonies, nomenclature and 
discipline of the S. B. are military in spirit and form. 
The Revised Army Regulations of the United States 
and approved works upon Military Tactics are the 
general instructions? to the S. B., save where the rit- 
ual otherwise directs. 

By-Laws, Rules of Order and Local Regulations 
may be made af pleasure by the Company, Regiment 
and Division within the limits of this Constitution. 
Each exercises absolute control over its own finan- 



* The general principles of jurisdiction are these : 
First. — A Company for each township ; 25 or more to a com- 
pany. 

Second. — A Regiment for each County; 4 or more Companies 
to a Regiment. Regiments are known by their numbkrs, not by 

LETTERS. 

Third. — A Brifjade for each Congressional District ; four or 
more Regiments to a Brigade. 

Fourth. — A Division for each State or Territory. 

OflBceis to correspond with these subdivisions. 

By Special Order, a Company may be organized with a less 
Dumber than 25. 



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CONSTITUTION OP S. B. 6 

ARTICLE II. 

Comradeship of the S. B. 
Section 1. — Comrades of the First Grade. 

The Comradeship of a Company Camp is divided 
in4;o three grades, viz: 

Those who enjoy full Comradeship with the privi- 
lege to vote and hold office, constitute the First and 
highest Grade. Of these each Company must have 
upon its Rolls not less than twentv-five to constitute 
a working Camp. The Comrades of the First Gradf. 
must be "free, white, male persons; eifective, sober, 
of good character and habits," and not less than 18 
years of age. But soldiers and seamen, having once 
regularly served in the forces of the United States. 
are eligible to Comradeship of th*e First Grade, 
though under 18 years of age. 

Section 2. — Comrades of the Second Grade. — Cadets. 

« 
Those who visit and share in all the privilecres of 
the S. B. save those of voting and holding office, 
constitute the Second Grade ; they are styled Cadets. 
Their qualifications are the same a« Comrade?: of the 
First Grade, save that they are less than 18 (but not 
less than 14) years of age. 



6 CONSTITUTION OF 8. B. 

Section Z.— Comrades of the Third Grade.— Honorary. 

Those who visit the Camps of S. B. as Honorary 
Comrades, are gentlemen^ of patriotic eminence, 
elected for that purpose. 

The President of the United States, the Vice Pres- 
ident and Cabinet, the Governors of the States, and 
all Supreme and Circuit Judges, are ez-officio Honor- 
ary Comrades during their respective terms of office. 

But Comrades of the Third Grade must be cove- 
nanted to all the requirements of the S. B. before 
they can enjoy any of the privileges of this Grade. 
They are not required to pay Dues or Fees of any 
kind. 

Recruits for the First, Second and Third Grades 
are elected to Comradeship, according to Section 
Sixth of this Article. 

Section 4. — Regimental Comradeship. 

Regimental Comradeship is representative, being 
made up of Officers of Companies appointed for that 
purpose. 

Section 5. — Division Comradeship. 

Division Comradeship is representative, being 
made up of the Officers of Regiments appointed for 
that purpose. 



/-y-Y 



CONSTITUTION OF S. B. *J 

Section 6. — Election to Comradeship. 

A Comrade in a Company Camp, being desirous to 
enlist a friend in either grade of Comradeship, may, 
at any regular meeting of the Camp, present a peti- 
tion therefor, which must be in the following form 
(changing names and dates) viz: 

S. B. Petition. 

The undersigned, a Comrade of the First Grade, 
in 3d Company, 9tU Regiment S. B. of Michigan, en- 
camped at Oxford, LaPeer county, Michigan, here- 
by recommends to Comradeship of the First Grade, 
Mr. Thomas Sawther, whose qualifications to the S. 
B. correspond with these required by the Constitu- 
tion of the S. B. Association and the By-Laws of the 
Compajiy. 

(Signed) Henry Short. 

Oxford, Mich., Aug. 1, 1864. 

This petition shall be read aloud by the Second 
Lieutenant, discussed with freedom by the Comrades 
present, and then put to the vote. The manner of 
voting sb.-i,l] be by slips of paper, on which ihe Com- 
rades shall write "A" for admission, or "0" for ob- 
jection. These shall be collected by the Corporals, 
and laid before the Captain, who shall count them 
and announce the result. If three objections be 
found, the application shall be referred to a commit- 



8 CONSTITUTION OF 8. B. 

tee of five, of which the Captain shall be Chairman, 
with instructions to report on the objections at the 
next regular meeting, when, if it be found that the 
"Admissions" form a clear majority of not less than 
nine-tenths of the Comrades present, the Recruit 
shall be declared elected and the record so made up. 
The Second Lieutenant shall then give to the 
Comrade who presented the petition a certificate in 
the following form (changing names and dates), viz : 



s. a. 



Camp of 3d Company, 9th Rbg't S. B. of Michigan 



LN, » 



Encamp at Oxford, Mich., Aug. 1, 1864, 

This certifies that at a regular meeting of this 
Company, held at Headquarters this day, Mr. Thom- 
as Sawther was duly proposed by Comrade Henry 
Short, to become enlisted in the S. B. and it appear- 
ing, on inspection of the ballot, that the constitu- 
tional majority of nine-tenths of the Comrades pres- 
ent was favorable to his enlistment, it is hereby 
ordered by the Captain, that Mr. Thomas Sawther 
be admitted to all the rights and privileges of the 
S. B. in accordance with the Ritual thereof 

(Signed) Aaron Long, 

2d Lit'ut. and Sec'y. 



CONSTITUTION OF 8. B. 9 

Section 7 — How Comrades may Resign.' 

Any Comrade may resign his Membership at 
pleasure, by announcing his wish at a Regular Meet- 
ing of the Company. Provided, that he is under no 
pecuniary obligations to the Camp, and that no char- 
ges for unworthy conduct are outstanding against 
him. 

His request shall be stated to the Camp by the 
Secretary, and if no pecuniary or disciplinary charges 
are on the files against the Comrade, the Captain 
shall order his name stricken honorably from the 
Rolls. 

But no Officer who has been regularly commis- 
sioned, can resign his command except by permission 
of the Commander-in-Chief or the Major General 
of the Division^to which he belongs. 



ARTICLE III. 

OFFICERS OF THK S. B. 

Section 1 — Who are the Officer's. 

The Officers of a Company.of S. B.^are as follows 

1. The Captain. 

2. The First Lieutenant. % 
' 3. The Second Lieutenant. 

4. The Ensign. 



10 CONSTITUTION Or 8. B. 

5. The First Sergeant. 

6. The Second Sergeant. 

7. The First Corporal. 

8. The Second Corporal. 

9. The Sentinel. 

To these necessary Officers of the Company, there 
may be added at pleasure, a Company Chaplain, a 
Clerk, Third, Fourth and Fifth Sergeants, a Drum- 
mer, a Filer, and such other subordinate and non- 
commissioned officers as the Company, by its By- 
Laws, may provide. The minimum strength of a 
Company, including Officers and Privates, is twenty- 
five ; but the number may be increased at pleasure. 

The Commissioned Officers of the Company are 
the Captain, First and Second Lieutenants, and En- 
sign. The rest are appointed by the Captain. 

The Officers of a Regiment or Division of S. B. 
correspond in number and rank with the Array 
Regulations of the United States. 

Seclion 2— What are the Officers' Duties. 

The general theory of official duty in the S. B. 
corresponds with that of the Revised Army Regula- 
tions of the United States. In addition to military 
requirements, the business of the Company Camp is 
distributed among them as follows, viz : 

1 The Captain.— His station in the Camp is at 
thfend of the Ciimp opposite the entrance. His 
weapon is the Sword. His rank is denoted by his 
shoulder straps. He is keeper of the Signet-ring. 



COKSTITUTION OF S. B. 11 

« 

2. The First Lieutenant. — His station is on the 
right of the Captain, and two paces distant. His 
weapon is the Sword. His rank is denoted by his 
shoulder straps. He is ex-officio Treasurer of the 
Company, and Quarter Master. 

8. The Second Lieutenant. — ^\s, station is on the 
left of the Captain, and two paces distant. His weap- 
on is the Sword. His rank is denoted by his shoul- 
der straps. He is ex-officio Secretary of the Com- 
pany, keeper of the archives, and Commissary. 

4. The Ensign. — His station is unchangeably by 
the flag-staff. His weapon is the Sword. His rank 
is that of Third Lieutenant, and is denoted by his 
shoulder straps. 

5. The First Sergeant. — His station is to the 
right in front of the Captain, and facing the flag- 
staff. His weapon is the Sword. His rank is denot- 
ed by his chevrons. 

6. The Second Sergeant. — His station is near the 
door of entrance to the Camp, and facing the Cap- 
tain. His weapon is the Sword His rank is denoted 
by his chevrons 

7. The First Corporal. — His station is on the 
right of the First Sergeant, and one pace distant. — 
His weapon is the Lance. His rarik is denoted by 
his chevrons. He is one of the body guard of the 
Recruit during the ceremonies of enlistment and 
receives the Signet ring from the Captain. At elec- 
tions he collects the ballots in conjunction with the 
Second Corporal. 



1 2 CONSTITUTION OF 8. B. 

8. The Second Corporal. — His station is on the 
left of the Second Sergeant, and one pace distant. 
His iveapon is the Lance. His rank is denoted hy 
his chevrons. He is one of the body guard of the 
Recruit during the ceremonies of Enlistment, and 
receives the Book of Covenants from the Second 
Lieutenant. At elections he collects the ballots in 
conjnnction with the First Corporal. 

9. The Sentinel. — His .station is outside the Camp. 
He has charge of the door of entrance. Wis weapon 
is the Musket. His rank is that of Second Corporal, 
^nd is denoted by his chevrons. Upon his vigilance 
and fidelity the security of the Camp mainly depends. 

Section 3. — Duties of the Regimental and Division 
Officers. 

The duties of Regimental and Division Officers in 
the S. B. correspond with the Revised Army Regu- 
lations of the United States. 

Section 4. — Honor, the Basis of Obligation. 

The basis of all Military obligation is Honor. 
Each officer when invested with the insignia of his 
rank is solemnly pledged to the performance of 
the duties thereunto attached. 

Section 5. — How the Officer's are Elected. 

The Captain, two Lieutenants and Ensign, are 
elected at the Regular Meeting immediately after the 
formation of a company, or when a vacancy occurs. 



CONSTITUTION OP S. B. 1^ 

Each Comrade of the First Class, who is on the 
Company Books, is eligible to office and to vote. 
Providtd, That after the first election, no Comrade 
shall be elected Captain who has not previously 
served as Lieutenant, save by special permit of the 
Colonel. 

Nominations to office shall be permitted ; the vote 
shall be by slips on which the voters shall write. 
The Corporals collect the ballots, which are counted 
by tellers appointed by the Captain. 

Between the time of election of officers and their 
installation, the Captain shall select the non-commis- 
sioned officers. 

The Inauguration of the officers is performed un- 
der the supervision of the Colonel, Lieutenant-Col- 
onel, or a Deputy appointed for the purpose. 

ARTICLE IV. 
The Meetings. 

Section 1. — Regular Meetings. 

The meeting of the Company of S. B. are of three 
kinds. Regular, Festival and Called. The Regular 
Meetings shall occur at least once a month, and at 
such times and places as the By-L iws of the Compa- 
ny may designate. 

At Regular Meetings all ballotings shall be per- 
formed, moneys appropriated and the standard busi- 



14 CONSTITUTION OF S. B. 

ness of the S. B. transacted. An Essay upon some 
patriotic thema may be delivered by a competent 
Comrade, and the correspondence of the Company 
read. 

Section 2. — Festival Meetings. 

There shall be two Festival Meetings annually, viz: 
on Washington's Birth-day and the Fourth of July. 

Section 3 . — Called Meetings . 

Meetings of the Company may be called at any 
time at the direction of the Captain, but not, ex- 
cept in case of great^ emergency, without giving 
three days' notice to the Comrades. The Captain 
shall enter his orders to that effect in the Orderly 
Book, and the Secretary shall immediately display 
the Flag Signals to correspond. The Flag Signals 
shall be extended from hand to hand by the Com- 
rades, in Company Meetings, uiilil all are notified of 
their meaning. 

The Enlistment ot Recruits is best done at Called 
MetHingp, i bough their election must be transacted 
at Regular^Meetings, as required in Section First of 
tiiis Chapter. * 

All the Meetings of the Company, whether Regu- 
lar, Festival or Called, shall be conducted upon the 
general plan given in the Ritual. 



CONSTITUTION Or S. B. IB 

ARTICLE V. 
Archives, Library, Paraphernalia. 

Section I. — The Archives. 

The Company shall carefully preserve its Archives. 
These consist of records and proceedings of the 
Company; its correspondence; the campaign rem- 
iniscences of the Comrades; patriotic essays and 
addresses by the Comrades; and the Orders and Pro- 
ceedings of the Regimental and Division oiganiza- 
tions. 

Section 2.—T/ie Library. 

The Company shall sednlously perfect and preserve 
its Library. This consists of books relative to the 
previous wars of the United States; war maps, 
charts and diagrams; plans of forts and battles; 
histories; books of Tactics and of the Science and 
Art of War, etc., etc. 

Section S.—TIie Paraphernalia. 

The articles necessary to a Camp, correspond with 
the Military theory of the S. B. Association as speci- 
fied in the Ritual. 



16 CONSTITUTION OF S. B. 

ARTICLE VI. 
Discipline. 

Section 1. — Wliat are Off'enses. 

Offenses are violations of the Military Law as ap- 
plied to the S. R. The Revised Army Regulations 
of the United States, especially the Articles of War, 
describe them with minuteness. In addition to of- 
fenses strictly military in their character, the fol- 
lowing will afford grounds for charges against a 
Comrade, viz : Divulging the secresy of the S. B. 
Association ; neglect to pay the Dues and Feey re- 
quired by the By-Laws of the Company ; refusal to 
obey a regular summons from the Company. 

Section 2. — Court Martiah. 

Charge^ with suitable specifications may be pre- 
ferred by the proper Officers, and Court IMartials 
held agreeable to the requirements of Military Law. 
The penalties recognized by the S. B. are: 1, Public 
Reprimand; 2, Suspension for a limited period; 3, 
Degradation from rank, (if an Officer,) and Exptdaion 
from the Company, or Expulsion, if a private. No- 
tices of the penalties of Suspension and Expulsion 
shall be immediately forwarded to the General Office 
by the Secretary. 

All trials are under the supervision of the Colonel 
in person or by Deputy, and no penalty inflicted by 
a Court Martial is final until approved by a Colonel 



CONSTITUTION OF S. B. lY ' 

Discipline in the Regimental and Division organ- 
ization is conducted agreeable to the Revised Army 
Regulations of the United States. , 

Section 3. — Retired List. 

The Board of Control shall have the power to put 
on the ''Retired List" any commissioned officer who 
is absent from duty, or does not report for the space 
of three months. 

ARTICLE VIL 

Fees, Dues and Disbursements. 
Section 1. — Fees and Dues. 

Sec. 1. The Registration Fee in the S. B. shall 
be 25 cents. 

Sec. 2. All Comrades enlisted by a special agent 
where no Camp exists, shall pay the sum of one 
dollar. 

Sec. 3. Companies are required to remit to the 
General Office 25 cents for each member enlisted, 
and such sum lor Commissions and Documents, neces- 
sary to organize a Company, as speciliea in order 
M(j. — , of the Bo.trd ot Control. 

iSfic. 4. Oiganized Companies can charge such 
additional sum for enlistments as they may deem ex- 
pedient, to be regulated by theii By-Laws. 

Sec. 5. The Fees for line and field Officers, are 
such as are specified in order Xo. — , of the Board 
of Control. 



18 CONSTITUTION OP S. B. 

Section Q.—Dishursementa, 

All Company Disbursements are made upon orders 
drawn by the Captain, and couniersigned by the Sec- 
retary. But no money shall be disbursed by the 
Treasurer, except by vote of the Company, taken at 
a Regular Meeting, save as provided for in the By- 
Laws. 

ARTICLE Vm. 

Miscellaneous. 

Section 1. — Change of Constitution. 

No Company has power to change this Constitution 
in any feature. Its own By-Laws and Rules of Or- 
der, however, may be adopted, amended, &c., at 
pleasure. 

Section 2. — Fraternal Correspondence. 

Each Comrade, when journeying from home should 
maintain a fraternal correspondence with the Com- 
pany, which shall be read by the Secretary, and pre-- 
served in the Archives of the Company. 

Section 3. — Military Instruction. 

The Company or Companies, established in each 
County should give annually, under their authority, 
at least two public courses of Drill and Instruction 



i 



CONSTITUTION OP 8. B. 19 

in the use of arms. This is to the end that all the 
youth of our country may be trained up in habitudes 
of military art and discipline. 

Section 4. — Fraternal Attention. 

The wounded, the sick, and the poor in Comrade- 
ship with the S. B. shall receive the devoted atten- 
tions of the Comrades. Deceased Comrades shall be 
awarded the honors of a military funeral. 

Section 5. — Responsibilities. 

All Commissioned Officers of the S. B, are directly 
responsible to the Major General of the State, and 
the Board of Control. 

A monthly correspondence must be maintained by 
each Company, through its Secretary, (until the 
State Organization is effected,) with the General Sec- 
retary. Failure to make a Report, within the first 
ten days of the month, will call out a letter of in- 
quiry from him, and if no satisfactory explanation is 
made, and the Report not rendered by the close of 
the month all the Commissions under which the Com- 
pany ig operating will be peremptorily withdrawn, 
and a notice sent by the General Secretary to every 
other Company in the S. B. Association, notifying 
them of the dissolution of the recusant Company. 

1^0 Comrade is entitled to travel and visit Camps 
until he has received from the General Secretary 
his Certificate of Registration upon the General 
Rolls of the S. B. Association. 



20 CONSTITUTION OF S. B. 

ARTICLE IX. 

The Board of Control consist of three classes, viz: 
The First Class consists of 34 permanent members 
of the Board who shall fill all vacancies in said class. 

The Second Class consists of the ex-officio members, 
that is to say, of the Commander-in-Chief and the 
Major General of each State, Territory and the Dis- 
trict of Columbia. 

The Third Cla=s consists of one Delegate chosen 
annually by the several executive committees, one 
from each State, Territory and the District of Colum- 
bia. 

Five Members of the Board at any Meeting held at 
the General Office in Chicago, after notice, shall con- 
stitute a quorum. 

ARTICLE X. 

Section 1. — State Organization. 

Each State shall be entitled to a State Executive 
Committee, consisting of twice the number of their 
Representatives in Congress ; when it shall have at* 
least one Regiment in a majority of the Congression- 
al Districts. Such State Executive Committee to 
act in all matters affecting the interests (financial or 
otherwise) of the S. B. in the State, under the 
Rules and Regulations laid down in the Consti- 
tution and Ritual, and amenable only to the Gen- 



CONSTITUTION OF S. B. 21 

eral Board of Control, and the Cojnmander-in-Chief. 
Said State Executive Committee to pay the General 
Board of Control 5u per cent, of all receipts. 

The Territories of the United States and the Dis- 
trict of Columbia shall each be entitled to an Execu- 
tive Committee of five Members as soon as they shall 
have organized five Companies, to be governed by 
the same rules and regulations as State Executive 
Committees. 

The Members of the State Executive Committee 
shall be elected by the General Board of Control on 
the nomination of the Major Generiil. The Major 
General shall hk President of the State Executive 
Committee, and the Brigadier Generals ex-officio 
members of the same.. 



Section 2. — County Organization. 

Each County shall be entitled to a County Execu- 
tive Committee, whenever said County has ten (10) 
organized Companies,'representing, in the aggregate 
000 Comrades. Said Executive Committe not to 
exceed one member for every two thousand inhabi- 
tants; it shall consist of only sucli as are approved 
by the State Executive Committee, or in its absence 
approved by the General Board of Control. The 
County Board will be nominated by the Colonel or 
highest Officer in rank, and elected by. i\xk State 
Executive Committee, or in its absence by the Gen- 
eral Board of Control. Said County Executive 



